Hemagglutinin and a Future Cure for Influenza Essay -- Influenza Virus

Final Project: Hemagglutinin Abstract Hemagglutinin is membrane protein found on the influenza virus. This project focuses on hemagglutinin subtype H1, the one involved in the 1918 Spanish influenza. The project concentrates on explaining the structure and function of the protein, while trying to give an accurate account of the molecular interactions between the protein and the host cell membrane. Specifically, hemagglutinin is a protein composed of three monomer protein strands. Each monomer consists of three important subdomains called the fusion subdomain, the receptor binding subdomain, and the vestigial esterase subdomain. Each has an important function in a virus infection. This project hopes to provide info for future research into preventing and perhaps curing influenza. Background Viruses use simple mechanisms to attack and infect their hosts. One step in a virus attack is the binding of the virus to the host cell. The virus does this by using surface proteins that can recognize and attach to receptors on the cell membrane and somehow injects its genetic material into the host cell.3 Hemagglutinin is a kind of surface protein found on the lipid envelopes of the influenza virus. Hemagglutinin gets its name from its effect on making red blood cells clump together and agglutinate. The influenza virus has many hemagglutinin proteins, and each can attach to a red blood cell, causing the red blood cells to come together around the virus. This causes thickening of the blood and affects the clotting ability of blood.2 There are 16 different subtypes of the protein, ranging from H1 to H16. The more important ones are H1, H2, and H3, the subtypes found on the human influenza virus.2 This proj... ... - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia. 3 Mar 2004. 2 Aug 2007 . 3. "Influenza." Main Page - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia. 9 Apr 2002. 2 Aug 2007 . 4. Marcey, David, and Eric Mazur. "Influenza Hamagglutinin." California Lutheran University - Welcome. 22 Jan 2005. 2 Aug 2007 . 5. Woods, Heather. "Structural Analysis of Hemagglutinin from the 1918 Influenza Pandemic." SSRL- Stanford Synchrotron Radiation Laboratory. 30 Aug 2004. 2 Aug 2007 . 6. The Structure and Receptor Binding Properties of the 1918 Influenza Hemagglutinin Science 303, 1838 (2004); DOI: 10.1126/science.1093155